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Basildon United FC
The Stadium
Gardiners Close
Basildon
Essex
SS14 2BE
Phone: 01268 520268 / 020 8550 3611
Email: club@basildonunited.co.uk
Website: www.basildonunited.co.uk
Click here for a map
History of Basildon United FC
Nicknamed 'The Bees', Basildon United Football Club came into being in 1967, having previously been Armada Sports, a junior club, who were founded four years earlier. The newly-named club joined the Grays & Thurrock League before moving to the Greater London League the following season.
The first major step was made in 1970 when the Essex County FA granted Basildon United Senior status and they became one of the founder members of the Essex Senior League.
It was not long before Basildon United were amongst the honours and when they applied for promotion to the Athenian League in 1980, they could look back on four consecutive championships during the preceding years., which still stands as a league record. They also finished as runners-up twice, in 1973 and 75. The League Cup success in 1978 completed the double, while a year later it was the Essex Senior Trophy that Basildon United would carry off.
Membership of the Athenian League would last only one season, as promotion to the Isthmian League Division Two was swift following a runners-up spot behind league winners Windsor & Eton. The 1980-81 season also saw Basildon United progress to the quarter-final of The FA Vase, before Irthlingborough Diamonds ended the Bees' run with a 6-4 replay win.
In 1984, after three seasons in the second division of the Isthmian League, Basildon United were crowned champions, beating St. Albans City by one point on the last day of the season, and earned promotion. During that campaign, the side also reached the finals of both the Essex Senior Trophy and the Eastern Floodlight Competition.
However, the Bees found life a lot harder in Division One and in 1989 suffered relegation back to Division Two North, where they were to spend the next two seasons.
When the Isthmian League made the decision to de-regionalise their second division, the club felt that the excess travelling and expenditure was not financially viable and so a move back to the Essex Senior League followed for the 1991-92 season.
The club quickly re-grouped both on and off the field and it wasn't long before the Senior League successes of the late seventies were returning to Gardiners Close - reaching the League Cup final in 1992. Then, in 1994, Basildon United lifted the Essex Senior League title for a record fifth time along with the League Cup to complete a superb double.
In 1997-98 Basildon made their sixth appearance in the League Cup final and equalled Brentwood's record of three wins following a 1-0 victory over Burnham Ramblers. They also finished league runners-up to Concord Rangers.
With development plans for the land on which the club stands, the future has been in the balance since re-joining the Senior League. The Directors are putting into place a development plan and with that stability and the ambitions of the club, the future now looks very bright.
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